ALL IN: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer player Allison Klei chases down a ball in action earlier this season. Last Wednesday, freshman standout Klei scored a goal to help PDS top Peddie 2-0. The Panthers, now 11-0-1, host New Hope-Solebury (Pa.) on October 18 and Pennington on October 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Determined to rebound from a frustrating 2012 campaign, the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team got off on the right foot this fall.

PDS opened the season by edging a powerful Wardlaw-Hartridge squad 1-0 in early September and hasn’t looked back, notching one big win after another.

Along the way, PDS has posted victories over such formidable foes as the Hill School (Pa.), Hun School, and the Lawrenceville School.

Last Wednesday, the Panthers took one of its biggest scalps so far as it posted a 2-0 win over the Peddie School.

“The girls were really excited,” said PDS head coach Pat Trombetta. “That was a very big win for us. I was told that we haven’t beaten Peddie in 15 years.”

It was exciting for Trombetta to see the PDS goals in the win come from a pair of freshmen, Allison Klei and Alexis Davis.

“Allison is a solid player, Alexa Soltesz missed four games and Allison has stepped up to striker,” said Trombetta, whose team topped Villa Victoria 5-0 last Friday to improve to 11-0-1.

“I can play her anywhere on the field. Davis had been getting a lot of opportunities early on but things weren’t going in for her; she scored a huge goal that put the Peddie game away. She got a good cross from Kirsten and stuck her foot out and hit it with confidence.”

Trombetta has certainly gained a lot of confidence in his team as the season has unfolded.

“I can’t say enough about this team,” said Trombetta. “The seniors are all having their best years and that is nice to see. The juniors have matured a lot, there is a big difference between the way they were as sophomores and how they are now. We have two sophomores who are playing well. We have nine freshmen and six of them are seeing a lot of time.”

Stingy defense has been making a big difference for the Panthers as the team has surrendered only two goals so far this fall.

“The defense has been great, everyone playing in the back has been very good,” said Trombetta. “Steph Soltesz has been great at sweeper, Brit Murray at left back has been great attacking up the field. We moved Erin Hogan to right back and she is doing the same things that Brit does. Lily Razzaghi has been at stopper and center mid; she battles every minute she is on the field. Kirsten Kuzmicz always gives 110 percent. She battles in the air and you really need a player like that. She had a beautiful header for a goal against Lawrenceville.”

At the offensive end, PDS boasts a variety of weapons as Alexa Soltesz, Eloise Stanton, Murray, Kuzmicz. and Klei have all proven to be threats around the net.

“We are a well-balanced team,” said Trombetta “We have a lot of players who can find the back of the net. We have a bunch of girls with five or six goals.”

As Trombetta looks ahead to the upcoming Mercer County Tournament and state Prep B tourney, he believes his team can get a bunch of wins. “We are hoping to get a high seed and take it from there,” said Trombetta, whose team hosts New Hope-Solebury (Pa.) on October 18 and Pennington on October 22.

“We are happy with the development of the players and the team chemistry is the best I have seen since I have been here.”